PLANCHE, Hipplote de la. Pilote de la Mer Noire. Traduite du Russe par M. H. de la Planche. Paris, Adolphe Laine for the Ministery of the Navy, 1869.
Tall narrow 8vo (290 by 115 mm). Original cloth-backed printed boards (spine renewed, surface wear and spotting); pp. [viii], 11 (supplement), [ix]-xvi, 156, 29 lithographic charts and coastal profiles, 19 of which folding or double-page size; final leaf with repaired tear, a few illustrations re-affixed, toning to text,overall in good condition.
By nature pilote guides are very rare and were produced not to be shared with anyone outside the organization - shipping company or Navy. The French Admiralty hat somehow got hold of the Russian original, Mr Planche translated and the illustrations were provided with French text. This guide to the European coast of the Black Sea is based on information from Russian geographer Manganari's important 1842 Black Sea atlas.
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